Foreign investor guide
A strategic nearshore base at the doorstep of Europe, Africa and the Arab world: competitive costs, a trilingual talent pool, and free access to large markets. MGI BFC, member of MGI Worldwide, is your trusted local point of entry.
Official figures from the Central Bank of Tunisia and the National Institute of Statistics, refreshed at each deployment and live on the page (last update 18/08/2026).
Two hours from Europe, in the European time zone, with free-trade access to the EU, Africa (AfCFTA) and Arab markets. Enter via a subsidiary (SARL, SA), a branch, a joint venture or an acquisition. Corporate income tax is 20% with export-oriented regimes.
Factor in VAT, withholding taxes and transfer pricing for intragroup flows. Estimate employer cost with our salary calculator, benchmark valuations with the MGI BFC Index, and rely on our transaction advisory. One trilingual team, a single point of contact.
1. Structuring decision. Choice of vehicle (subsidiary, branch, joint venture or acquisition), tax regime and shareholding structure, based on your activity, export share and repatriation objectives.
2. Incorporation. Drafting of by-laws, capital deposit, registration with the national business register, tax identification and social security affiliation. See our detailed guide to setting up a subsidiary.
3. Banking and exchange control. Opening of resident or non-resident bank accounts and compliance with Central Bank of Tunisia exchange-control formalities, a step foreign investors consistently underestimate: properly documented capital inflows condition the future repatriation of dividends and sale proceeds.
4. Operational setup. Premises, employment contracts, payroll registration, insurance, and the accounting system, configured from day one in your group reporting format.
5. Ongoing compliance. Monthly tax filings, quarterly CNSS declarations, annual financial statements and, where thresholds are met, statutory audit and transfer pricing obligations.
In most sectors, yes: full foreign ownership is permitted, particularly for export-oriented and industrial activities. Certain domestic-market activities, notably commerce and some services, may require Tunisian participation or prior authorisation. The structuring analysis settles this point at the outset.
Yes. Dividends and capital gains of properly documented foreign investments are transferable, subject to exchange-control formalities and tax compliance. The key is the initial documentation of the investment with the Central Bank, which is precisely why step 3 of the roadmap matters.
For a standard SARL with prepared documentation, the administrative sequence typically completes within a few weeks. Regulated activities or sector authorisations extend the timetable and must be anticipated in the project plan.
MGI BFC is registered with the Tunisian Institute of Chartered Accountants (OECT) and conducts audits under International Standards on Auditing. See our independence and ethics commitments.
See our balanced guide Tunisia vs Morocco vs Portugal for nearshore operations and size your project with the subsidiary cost simulator.
Download our guide: Doing Business in Tunisia 2026 (PDF) - or write to contact@bfc.com.tn for a confidential first discussion.